


Sideshow

by CaesiumDressing



Series: Huxloween stuffs [23]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Cheating, Geeks, Gore, Hux is Not Nice, M/M, Murder, Mutilation, Torture, Violence, circus AU, like sideshow geeks, this is some straight up evil everyone, unconsensual bondage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 08:56:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8366158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaesiumDressing/pseuds/CaesiumDressing
Summary: Ringmaster Hux reflects on his relationship with a juggler.Written for Huxloween Prompt: Circus.





	

Across the campground performers were finally turning in for the night. The next morning the Ringmaster had told them they’d be moving on; over the past week or so attendance had been dropping. They could never stay in one place particularly long. There are only so many times you can pay a few extra bucks to watch the Geek bite the heads off of small animals before it stopped being entertaining and became just another daily occurrence.

Phasma sighed as she poured a bucket of water on the cook fire and stirred the ashes. She didn’t particularly want to leave the lovely southlands to go north as the Ringmaster insisted. Word was the spring thaw was happening but it would still be chilly for a few months. There wasn’t much to be said in the end. Once she was sure that the fire was truly out, she climbed up into the cabin of her wagon. It would be a long drive. She needed to try to get some sleep.

Ringmaster Hux stood at the mouth of his tent, watching his performers packing their things away for the long trip ahead. It hadn’t been six years that he’d been running this circus and he’d already seen so many faces come and go. Phasma was one that had stayed with him through it all. Her loyalty was appreciated. The only other one was the Geek.

The Geek had come to him four years ago as another person entirely. He’d been a sword swallower and juggler. There was something supernatural about how he handled those balls. Hux had made an offhand joke about the sword swallowing being of use in other applications and the man asked if Hux’d like to experience said applications himself. Hux energetically agreed and they began their affair.

Everything was lovely for about two years, Hux and the Juggler were inseparable. They spent every waking moment together, Hux even gave the man his own sideshow outside of the big top. Perhaps that had been his first mistake. The Juggler was handsome, and it seemed as if in every town he gained new admirers. If Hux had been smart he would have paid very close attention to those admirers and never let them anywhere backstage, but Hux thought the Juggler was loyal.

That damned magician had been an admirer in one of those towns. Hux thought he had actually wanted to join their crew as a magician and clown. Mitaka’s audition was good, his sleight of hand was phenomenal and he was great at banter. Hux even let him stand in as Ringmaster when Hux had lost his voice. The show must go on, after all.

More and more it became that the Juggler would be out all night, or not come with Hux to breakfast, or wander off into the fields after their evening meals. Hux should have known better. One night the Juggler came back with his jacket smelling of the magician’s cologne. The Juggler assured Hux that he’d just been helping Mitaka move some furniture in his trailer and it was nothing. But Hux could not let it stand, so he followed the Juggler in secret the next night he wandered off.

He’d heard the man moan Mitaka’s name over and over, shouting his love to the stars above. In the calm aftermath he’d listened to the Juggler telling Mitaka that it would just be a few more weeks. Then they would leave the circus and be together forever. Hux snuck back into his trailer and began to plot.

He’d learned about poisons and potions from his grandmother before she died. She’d given him all the knowledge his mother’s family had held secret for generations. Herbs to hypnotize, herbs to make one sick, herbs to cause pain, and ultimately herbs to kill. A few nights later Hux had called the Juggler and the Magician into his wagon for a late night drink. They’d shared the brandy in low candle light but only the Juggler and Magician fell asleep that night.

Hux emerged from the wagon the next morning to give the whole troupe a few days off. Everyone took off to the nearest town to go do whatever it is that circus performers do when they aren’t preparing for the circus. That is, all except the Juggler and the Magician. Hux was pleased with the privacy it offered.

He’d chained each of them to wheels of death facing one another. Once he’d woken both up he’d begun cutting bits and pieces off Mitaka slowly as the Juggler watched. The Juggler screamed and begged Hux to be merciful, to let Mitaka go, to forgive him, but Hux just laughed and ripped out another nail.

“This,” Hux said to the Juggler. “This is what happens when you betray me.”

By the end of the day the Magnificent Mitaka was a pile of parts in the middle of a clearing a ways outside of camp. The Juggler had screamed himself hoarse, and did little more than sob as Hux approached him. He barely looked up when Hux inserted the knife in his throat to sever his vocal cords. Hux forced another vial of sleeping serum down the Juggler’s throat and managed to get him back to the wagon before the other performers returned.

Over the next few months Hux reprogrammed the Juggler. That is to say, he re-taught him his skills. First he had to relearn how to not betray Hux. Then he relearned how to please Hux. Eventually he was so perfectly loyal he would do whatever Hux asked without question. It didn’t matter if it would hurt or even kill the Juggler, as long as Hux was happy the Juggler would serve.

Eventually everyone but Phasma left the circus and been replaced with new faces. That’s when Hux decided to let the Juggler perform again. But he’d need a new name. He wasn’t really Ben the Bold anymore. He was more even tempered and obedient. He was introduced as Ren the Reluctant. It was quite fitting, as he would do nothing without Hux’s explicit orders. That’s why Hux was always at the show behind the main tent after the main show. He’d take the fee from the patrons and hand Ren an animal. It took nothing more than a nod from Hux to have Ren snap the head off of the poor thing with his crooked teeth. Hux loved the way the blood looked running down Ren’s neck.

Hux sighed again as a forehead bumped up against the hand not holding up the tent flap. He turned to look at the creature behind him. Hux had disciplined the poor thing improperly when he started his retraining and there was a scar across Ren’s face. It was a shame Hux hadn’t been able to save the eye, Ben did always have the most lovely eyes.

The poor thing on its knees next to Hux bumped its forehead against his hand again. If Hux hadn’t taken away his voice, Hux was sure he’d be whimpering. Ren’s remaining eye was filled with tears.

“No darling,” Hux cooed. “Don’t cry. I promise I’ll take it off later, but you need to be good.” The thing on the ground let out a sob. Hux closed the tent flap and moved to sit at the desk. The thing on the floor crawled after him, the padlock on the cage around his genitals clinking all the way.


End file.
